Wynton Marsalis & the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra didn't just perform at the MSU Auditorium Wednesday night — they generated a mind-blowing event.

The show was over before the audience had a chance to grasp the virtuosity of jazz brilliance on stage.

Divine melody lines seemed to be coming from every direction, and the solos originated from sterling melodious souls. The musicians were not only focused on their instruments, but were one with the orchestra.

Specifically, the interaction between the whirling tones of Marsalis' trumpet playing and the swinging patterns of drummer Ali Jackson were spine chilling and surreal. It was as if the two were having a conversation about a novel they had read every day for their entire lives and were articulating the conversation with their instruments — just phenomenal musicianship.

Marsalis spoke with a smooth demeanor in between numbers, introducing song titles and composers. For the first set, the orchestra played jazz tunes exclusively related to Detroit artists — paying homage to the likes of trumpeter Donald Byrd, saxophonist Eli "Lucky" Thompson and guitarist Kenny Burrell.

Another highlight of the evening was when Rodney Whitaker strode on stage to perform a couple tunes with the orchestra during the second set. The director of MSU's jazz studies program received a warm introduction from Marsalis. Whitaker's fingers vibrated along his stand-up bass with a madcap exactness.

The whole scene was truly magical and if the walls of the Auditorium could talk they'd say — "Please, can Wynton and his band play here every night?"